What We're Made Of
by lilfiftyfour
Summary: What would happen if Charlie lost his gift? COMPLETELY REDONE AND REPOSTED
1. Just Another Day, Right?

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NUMB3RS OR ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH IT…(TOO BAD…) OR "BRINK" FOR A LINE IN THAT MOVIE INSPIRED THIS STORY SOMEWHAT...

A/N: Okay so I originally posted the first two chapters of this story and I received tons of feedback. Most of it said I needed to make it longer, describe their feelings more, add more to the car wreck, etc. So, I did. Although I'm not completely pleased with the final outcome, I do feel it's a little better. Please understand that I am getting a prescription for my description problem...ok not really, but I am working on it. So without further a do:

**What We're Made Of**

"Hey Charlie, can you come by the office this afternoon to look at a new case?" Don asked as he grabbed something from the fridge for breakfast.

"Huh? Oh yea sure Don." Charlie somewhat replied being that he was preoccupied with some equations on his notepad.

Both men headed off to work and had relatively calm mornings. Around three o'clock Charlie closed up his office, grabbed his laptop and headed over to the FBI office. When he got there, he noticed that things were relatively busy. He looked over at Don's cubicle to see nothing but a computer, desk, and scattered papers. He looked in the work room and there he saw Don's entire team working on what he figured was this "new case."

"So tell me what you've got." Charlie said as he entered the room.

"Well, we've got what appear to be carjackings, but the twist is they're taking the drivers with them." Meghan told him.

"I see, well what do you want me to do exactly?" Charlie asked, not exactly seeing where Don was going with this.

"I would like you, to predict where they're going to strike next. And maybe even where they're hiding. We have 4 disappearances already, and I want to prevent a fifth. I figured you could do something like you did with the Death Squads. Since some of the variables have to be the same, like escape routes and all."

"Yeah, I could probably do something like that. Do you have the information on the drivers? And the location of the disappearances? Along with the driver's residences and traffic flow patterns?" Charlie asked as he was handed each requested item. "Yea okay so I'll get to work on this right away."

"Yea thanks bud…I'll see ya later?" Don answered.

"Sounds good. See ya." Charlie gathered up his items, got in the car, and headed home.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Charlie opted out of taking the freeway home being that it was rush-hour and he had never been a fan of traffic, who was after all…

As he pulled up to the red light he decided to put on some music. However, he was forced to turn it down when his phone rang. As much as Charlie hated talking to people when he was driving, he picked up his phone.

"Yea Don, what is it?"

"Hey Chuck, can I crash at your place as I've been informed that the power is now down at my place, something about someone blowing a fuse or something."

"Yea sure. I'll see you at the house then."

"Okay sounds good, I'll pick us up a large pepperoni pizza on my way."

"Great, see ya then." Charlie hung up and resumed his music as the light turned green.

Twenty minutes later he was almost home and for that, he was glad. Even though it had been a pretty non-eventful day, he was still pretty tired. Then, the unexpected happened…

As he was making a left onto the next street a pick up truck slammed into him. Charlie was knocked unconscious instantly and within minutes paramedics were on the scene.

"Is he breathing?"

"Yea he's breathing. Nothing seems to be broken, but let's assume the worst and transport him carefully."

The paramedics loaded him into the ambulance while others surveyed the scene. Charlie's car was totaled. It was amazing that he had survived. But he wasn't in the clear just yet…

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A/N # 2: Although many of you already reviewed these first two chapters, they've been rewritten(this one drastically changed), so please review once more. I'd definately appreciate it! Next chapter will be up tomorrow! 


	2. No Solutions

DISCLAIMER AT BEGINNING OF STORY...

Charlie woke up in the hospital somewhat out of sorts. Don and Alan however were by his side and filled him in on what had happened. They told him that he had been in a car wreck and that although nothing was broken, he was unconscious for a while and might have some short term memory loss, much like a concussion. Nothing too serious though.

Charlie then calmed down a little bit and quickly asked about the case. Don insisted that Charlie just rest, but Charlie would not give in. Before Don could answer, the doctor walked in and explained that since Charlie had woken up he could probably go home tomorrow…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next morning Don and Alan came to take Charlie home. After they arrived at the house Charlie went into the garage to look at the case files. He picked up his notepad and began to examine the equations. However, halfway through the second equation he realized he didn't understand what these numbers and symbols meant. He knew what the addition and subtraction signs were and he thought he recognized a sign that looked like an x but he wasn't sure. Right as he was realizing all of this, Don walked through the doorway.

Charlie looked up at Don and simply said, "I don't know what any of this means."

Don looked at him and asked, "What do you mean, they're your equations."

Frustrated and scared Charlie replied, "What I mean Don, is that NONE of this makes sense. I recognize only three things here. These addition and subtraction signs, and this thing that appears to be an x. I'm not sure what it means but I know I've seen it before."

Don was now completely confused. "Wait, you're saying you have NO idea what any of this means, at all?"

"Not at all. It's like I can't do math anymore."

At that, Don snapped to his senses again and went into big brother mode."Dad!" Don called.

Alan, not knowing what was so urgent, stopped fixing lunch and headed into the garage at the request of his eldest.

"Yea Don."

"I think Charlie lost his gift." Don replied shakily.

By this time Charlie had sat down, completely overwhelmed.

"What do you mean lost his gift? What gift?" Alan asked.

"You know, THE gift. His math thing." Don answered not knowing how else to explain his theory. At least he hoped it was only a theory and was soon going to be disproved…

All three of the Eppes men were completely overwhelmed and dumbfounded. The room was silent for a while. Then all of a sudden Charlie let out a soft wimper and began to cry.

Don of course couldn't stand to see his brother so helpless. "Nah Nah Charlie it'll be alright. We'll figure this out together," Don knelt down beside Charlie and attempted to comfort his brother. Alan then went to the kitchen to phone the doctor.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Well it looks like Charlie's memory loss has taken a turn for the worst." The doctor said in a matter of fact manner. "It's not exactly or necessarily memory loss as much as it's the shut down of a certain part of his brain that is well, his genius. It doesn't affect anything else, he'll still be the same old Charlie, just without the math skills."

Angry and upset, Don retorted, "Yea but that's just it doc. Charlie is the Math, the Math is Charlie. They can't be separated." Don attempted to explain, mostly to comfort himself.

"Well it appears that they're going to have to separate," the doctor replied.

Before Don could get any angrier Alan asked, "Is it permanent?" Hoping the answer would be a no, but preparing himself for the exact opposite of what he wanted to hear.

"It's hard to tell, but most likely yes. So I'd prepare for the worst." That, was definitely NOT what Alan, or Don for that matter, wanted to hear.

"Okay thank you doctor," Alan ended the meeting and escorted Don out of the office.

Alan and Don refused to tell Charlie anything until they got home. When they finally did get home, they insisted that Charlie sit down. They joined Charlie in the living room and carefully broke the news and explained the situation.

When both Alan and Don were finished delivering the worst news in the world, Charlie was speechless. A silent tear fell down his cheek. However it was a lonely tear as Charlie would not allow himself to weaken in the presence of his brother. Instead he got up and attempted to walk calmly to his room. When he reached the steps however, he could contain himself no longer and quickly ran to the safety of his room. It was only then that he allowed himself to weep.

Don was about to go after him, but Alan held him back. This was somewhat difficult to do because no matter how hard he tried, the only thing Don wanted to do was make his brother feel better. Even though he knew the only way to do this would be to give Charlie his gift back, Don had to work with what he had. However, Alan, knowing that sometimes people, Charlie especially, just need to be alone to sort things out held Don back.

Leaving Charlie alone is NOT what Don wanted to do. He couldn't stand to see his brother like this and refused to let Charlie suffer. So he went into the kitchen and began thinking of ways to make Charlie feel better. Although he knew it was a waste of time, he was occupying his mind with something other than the horrible thoughts of this morning.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Charlie sat on his bed for a while. It could've been five minutes, maybe an hour. Charlie didn't know, and he really didn't care.

Finally after however long it was, he got up and began looking through the papers and books he had lying around. Most of them involved math, and Charlie figured he could snap his memory back. Maybe refresh it or something. However, after looking through ten maybe twenty books and papers he decided to give up the effort and could only cry.

Don and Alan both heard his crying and gazed at one another in the same sorrowful way. Neither of them could do anything for Charlie, no matter how much they wanted to, no matter how much they tried, whether they wanted to trade places with him or not, they could do absolutely nothing. This especially irritated Don because he, for the first time in a very very long time, maybe ever, was completely helpless. To make things worse, he was helpless to help his brother, the one person that he couldn't bear to see in pain.

After about ten minutes Charlie was still crying and pounding on walls. Don looked at Alan as if to ask for permission to go comfort his younger brother. Alan nodded approvingly, and Don headed up the stairs to Charlie's room. The door was cracked, never closed as Charlie was not too comfortable in closed spaces, so Don lightly knocked on the door. Hearing only the same crying he let himself in and there in the middle of his bed was Charlie, completely redfaced and trying so hard to stop his uncontrollable weeping.

Don sat down and tried to explain that things were going to be okay, but no matter what Don told him, Charlie and Don both knew that things would never be the same...

* * *

A/N: Ok so this chapter wasn't revised quite as much as the others. But overall, I like it and I hope you did too. I know you already reviewed several times, but if you could please submit one more that'd be great! It will help me to improve my writing, and hopefully provide you with better stories!!! Thnx for reading...Next chapter up tomorrow! 


	3. AfterMath

DISCLAIMER AT BEGINNING OF STORY...

Two days later Don was still at a stand still with his case. Although there had been no new attacks, there weren't any leads either. Don needed Charlie, however Charlie was the one thing he couldn't have.

At the house Charlie was still sitting around with pretty much nothing to do. He had flipped through almost every channel on earth, read every non-math book in the house, and had his Dad beat him at chess once. It would've been more, but Alan and Charlie both figured they should leave chess alone for a while.

Don came home and immediately asked Charlie to meet him in the garage, completely forgetting about the incident. Charlie wondered why but figured that he had nothing better to do.

Once in the garage Don laid out a case file, a map, and some of Charlie's previous equations. Charlie asked what he was doing and then Don realized his mistake. Instead of apologizing a million times, Don realized he could use this to his advantage.

"Charlie, all of this, the numbers, the equations, the math in general, it isn't everything."

"But Don, it is who I am. It's all I know. I'm nothing without the numbers."

"No Charlie, it's not. It may be what you do, but it's not who you are. You are Charlie Eppes, my little brother. You always want to please people and you love Amita more than anything. None of that has anything to do with math."

"One of them has everything to do with math."

At this point Don realized his other mistake. For Charlie was right. Amita would have never met Charlie if he hadn't been her MATH professor.

Charlie looked at Don and realized that Don had noticed his mistake. Knowing that he had been pretty mopey the past few days and hadn't made things easier on Don or his dad Charlie decided to go along with Don's theory.

"But what exactly is your point Don?"

"All I'm saying is that it's what you do not who you are. Maybe you don't know exactly who you are yet, but maybe soon you'll know. But you have to get out of this house to find out."

"I suppose you're right. But what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know Charlie. Maybe start with some golf and sports. Maybe try drawing or music. Just do something and have fun!"

"Okay, I'll try…"

The boys finished up in the garage and Charlie grabbed his keys and headed out the door. Alan asked what had gotten into his youngest and Don could only respond with, "He's going to go figure out who he is."

Charlie drove to Amita's house because he knew she could help. He explained what Don had told him and she completely agreed. She pulled out a photo album and began to show Charlie pictures of himself. Sometimes they included Amita, Alan, or Don, but most of them were of Charlie doing various things. She explained that this was who he was. It wasn't the numbers.

* * *

A/N: Ok first of all thanks to all the reviewers. Secondly, this is the shortest chapter. I know it wasn't that descriptive and all, but no matter how much I played around with it, this was the best I could do. However, it is the most important chapter if you ask me. The message is strongest in this and the last chapter...which will be up tomorrow. 


	4. Happy Days

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NUMB3RS,BRINK, OR ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. NEITHER DO I OWN THE TITLE OF THIS CHAPTER...HAPPY DAYS...

A/N: This is the final chapter. Thanks for all of the reviews and now, enjoy!

Over the next few weeks Charlie began to discover who he really was. Since Millie had yet to find a replacement for him, Larry and Amita switched out covering his classes. Then one day something different happened. Charlie was in a job interview when an assistant came in and asked his interviewer if he had a calculator. When the interviewer nodded, the assistant asked what 26 percent of 586 was. Before he could punch in the first number, Charlie spouted off the answer.

With both of the employees dumbfounded Charlie quickly asked for a notepad and pen. All of a sudden all of these numbers and equations began to flow freely from his brain to his hand from his pen to the paper. After a brief moment Charlie quickly got up to leave.

"I'm sorry for all of the trouble I've caused you sir. But I really must be going."

Figuring it must have been something really important, the man simply nodded.

The entire ride home Charlie was smiling from ear to ear, possibly happier than he had ever been. He called his Dad, Larry, Millie, Amita, and of course Don and told all of them to come to his house immediately.

When he pulled into the driveway all of their cars were already there. Charlie burst in to see all them sitting in the living room. He decided he better tell them what was going on. "The Numbers are back! It's all back. I can do math again!"

Immediately smiles were on their faces and they all went in to hug Charlie. But of course, Don had to be the one to stay grounded. "Not to rain on the parade or anything, but Charlie, are you sure?"

"More than ever Don. I don't know how to describe the feeling I have when working with my Numbers but it's back and I could never mistake it."

Trusting his brother Don smiled and the celebration continued with champagne. However, eventually all good things must come to an end. Millie and Larry left and then Amita. Eventually it was just the three Eppes men once again.

They were gathered together in the living room and things had been quiet for a little while when Charlie spoke up. "You know there is one good thing that came out of this."

"Yea what's that?" Don asked.

"I figured out who I was. And yes, you're right Don, I'm not the Numbers, but they are a lot more than what I do. They're a part of me, just like your FBI training is part of you. Even though things like that are what we do, they influence us and change us. Eventually they become part of us."

"Yea I see your point."

"And the thing is, we have to find balance. But overall, what we do will always be a big part of who we are. As long as we realize that and enjoy what we do, we can't ask for anything more. Although there is one thing you should ask yourself Don."

"What's that?"

"Who are YOU???"

At this all of the Eppes men could do nothing but smile and even though he was smiling on the outside, Don couldn't help but wonder if Charlie had a point…

* * *

A/N # 2: Oooo a cliffie! Will another story come out of it, I'm not sure. It depends how things go over with this story. I might do a Don fic…we'll see…. 

As for this story I know it was still short and only four chapters and I'm not sure that everything turned out the way I wanted it to. I've rewritten it from the original posting and all, but I'm still not completely satisfied. However, it's the best I could do without spending forever on it. Hope you enjoyed it!


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